WebTV, CBS try interactive hoops

CBS and Microsoft WebTV Networks will bring interactive programming to NCAA
basketball telecasts beginning in February, one element of their planned 500 hours
of interactive programming in various categories this year.

The roughly 1 million homes equipped with Microsoft's WebTV Plus and Ultimate
TV services will have access to real-time statistics, trivia, polling and other
features during games, starting with regular-season matchups and including all 63
NCAA tournament games. Similar programming was produced with the Oakland A's last
summer and around NCAA football last fall. Users with other enhanced-TV systems
using the ATVEF protocol will see a less-enhanced version of the programming.

"These are small numbers in terms of the overall TV universe, but it's important
to get people involved in many different areas right now," said Joe Poletto, vice
president of Microsoft's network media group. "We know that users of this service
spend an average of 20 minutes on a program, whereas the average time viewing non-interactive
programming is under 10 minutes."

Poletto and CBS executives would not disclose the terms of the arrangement, but
Poletto said, "It's a shared partnership in terms of revenue and marketing."

"This is research and development right now, and our goal is to learn as much
as we can about what the viewing experience can be with interactive TV," said David
Katz, CBS vice president of strategic planning and interactive ventures. The programming
will be promoted on CBS' broadcasts, and Katz said it's possible there also will
be promotion on SportsLine.com, of which CBS owns 22 percent. "That will be worked
out closer to the events," Katz said.

Katz said interactive advertising is a goal of the project, but to date none
had been pitched for the NCAA programming. Other revenue sources could be tapped
eventually, he said. Tickets were sold during the A's interactive telecasts last
summer.